The Buckeyes have yet to take a linebacker in the class of 2011 and have several big time targets left on the board. One of those targets is Waldorf (Md.) North Point high school backer Conner Crowell.

The 6-foot-1, 215 pound linebacker is ranked as a three star by Rivals.com but has an offer list that looks much more impressive then that ranking. Crowell has a final three of Ohio State, Penn State and Stanford and this past weekend he got to take his first official visit, to Ohio State.

"We arrived into Columbus probably around 2:00 am on Saturday and we got a little sleep in and I got to eat with the team," Crowell said. "I was pretty much with them the whole time up until the game and then I went to the recruit room and watched the game and then after the game I got to eat with coach Luke Fickell. Then I got to hang out with some of the players again."

Crowell had a chance to eat with several players again on Sunday before meeting with coach Jim Tressel at the end of his official visit. Crowell thought very highly of the players and the coaches and was really struck by the time leading up to the game.

"The team was just so focused, pretty much during pregame nobody was talking, the coaches weren't even really talking," Crowell said. "One of the former players (Cie Grant) did the pregame speech and they just got all hyped up and you could just see how focused they were. It was so cool to be with the team at that time and I was glad that I could be there."

Sometimes it is difficult not to imagine yourself playing in the scheme of the team that you are watching and Crowell believes that he could really showcase himself and make an impact in the style of play that the Buckeyes run.

"I think it would be great to play in their defense and it is just not the same three guys that play," Crowell said. "Everyone gets a rep in and they share reps the whole game and it is really cool."

What will eventually push one of his three finalists to the top of his list and lead to his decision?

"Ultimately my relationship with the players and the coaches," Crowell said. "The coaches there I have been talking to for a while and coach Tressel is an amazing guy and a great coach and that is what it really comes down to."

But of course Crowell has developed relationships as well at Penn State and Stanford so there are no hints at this point as to which way the talented backer may be leaning.

One concern that players have when looking at schools is the depth chart. Ohio State will be losing a pair of linebackers after this season but the cupboard is far from bare with year after year of strong recruiting to keep the roster deep with talent. Is that a concern for Crowell, not only at Ohio State but at any school that he is looking at?

"I looked at the depth chart and I was intimidated at first but I talked to some of the linebackers there and they told me I would get reps if I worked hard," Crowell said. "If I were to go to Ohio State I would want to come in there and work hard or any place that had a lot of depth on its roster. It pushes you to work harder."

Crowell will be on the road again this week with an official visit to Penn State and then he mentioned that he would like to try and get up to Stanford in October to check out the Cardinal. All of this will lead up to his announcement on November 5th which is his senior night.